A  BOOK  OF  CARTOONS  ABOUT 
THE  FUNNIEST  “GOB”  IN  THE  NAUY 


r_ 

i 

By  Perce  Pearce 

The  American  Sailor-Cartoonist 


CHARLES  S.  PRATT 
New  and  Old  Books 
161  Sixth  Ave.,  N.  ¥. 

ANY  BOOK  YOU  WANT 


CHARLES  S.  PRATT 
New  and  Old  Books 
161  Sixth  Ave..  N.Y. 

ANY  BOOK  YOU  WANT 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 
Getty  Research  Institute 


https://archive.org/details/seamansiadventurOOpear 


S  E  A  M  A  N 

SI 

The  Adventures  of  a  Blue  Jacket 
on  the  High  Seas  of  Fun  and  Trouble 

By 

Perce  Pearce 

U.  S.  N.  R.  F. 

Publishers  The  Reilly  &  Britton  Co. 

Chicago 

Copyright,  1918,  by  Perce  Pearce 
Made  in  U.  S.  A. 


Reprinted,  by  permission,  from  the 


PREFACE 

>T^HEN  the  idea  of  Seaman  Si  cartoons  was  conceived  I  tried  to  roll 
VI/  all  the  “gobs”  on  the  Station  into  one,  and  although  this  may  not 
have  been  successfully  accomplished  in  any  particular  except  the  size  of  the 
big  “  goof”,  the  cartoons  have  been  kindly  treated  by  the  sailors  of  Great 
Lakes.  The  men  laugh  at  Si’s  troubles  every  day  and,  as  a  laugh 
is  as  good  as  a  “shot  in  the  arm”  for  the  health  of  the  men,  the  strip  may 
be  serving  a  purpose  here  after  all. 

The  average  residence  of  a  man  on  the  Station  is  not  long,  so  with 
the  permission  of  Capt.  Wm.  A.  Moffett,  Commandant,  Si  is  presented 
in  this  little  volume  for  the  men  to  send  home  or  take  with  them  when 
they  go  to  sea. 

Some  of  the  cartoons  may  make  you  glad  and  some  may  make  you 
sad,  but  I’m  sure  none  will  make  you  mad.  Unless  you  are  a  fat  man. 


U.  S.  Naval  Training  Station,  Great  Lakes,  Illinois 


CAPTAIN  WILLIAM  A.  MOFFETT . Commandant 

LIEUT.  COMMANDER  OGDEN  T.  McCLURG  ■  D, strict  Commandant 
LIEUT.  COMMANDER  C.  S.  ROBERTS  -  -  -  Executive  Officer 


The  Great  Lakes  Naval  Training  Station  is  the  largest 
in  the  world. 


In  1911  there  was  a  scant  700  men  in  training.  To-day 
there  are  over  46,000.  From  small  and  inauspicious  be¬ 
ginnings,  it  has  come  to  be  our  greatest  reservoir  of  man¬ 
power  for  the  sea. 


At  the  first  review  held  at  the  Great  Lakes  Station,  a  band 
of  25  pieces  furnished  the  music.  To-day  the  sailors  march 
to  martial  strains  from  an  aggregation  of  1,123  musicians  — 
practically  all  of  them  trained  by  John  Philip  Sousa. 


From  a  single  unit  with  four  barracks,  the  station  has 
grown  so  that  it  now  comprises  seventeen  units  with  hun¬ 


dreds  of  barracks.  Daily  the  Atlantic  Fleet  is  increasing 
its  drafts  of  the  highly-trained,  efficient  men  being  turned 
out  at  the  Great  Lakes.  Continual  additions  in  plant  and 
equipment  are  being  made  to  meet  the  ever-increasing  levies 
of  men  for  active  service  on  the  sea. 

To  the  personal  efforts  of  Captain  William  A.  Moffett, 
Commandant,  is  due,  in  large  measure,  the  success  of  the 
Great  Lakes  Station.  To  the  intimate  way  in  which  he 
has  inspired  and  encouraged  them  is  due  the  wonderful 
spirit  of  pull-together  “For  the  Good  of  the  Ship”  that 
animates  the  men  who  have  been  trained  under  him. 

To  Captain  Moffett — “For  the  Good  of  the  Ship” — 
this  book  is  respectfully  dedicated. 


INTRODUCING  SI  DOBBINS :  He  Starts  for  Great  Lakes. 


HIS  IS  Si  _  THE  PRIDE 

of  Pickle  center,  iowa 
He  just  enlisted  in  the 
NAVY- HIS 
Full  name 
IS 

Silas,  n 
Dobbin 

This 

Snapshot^ 
Shows'  him  " 
Bidding  the 
NATIVES  OF^ 
Pickle  centi 
Goodbye 

F-© 


ISS  MARTHA  MlLLDEvV- 
Sl'S  SWEETHEART- SHE 
HAD  THIS  PHOTO 
taken  exclusively 
_  FOR  "SI*  TO  WEAR 
THRowS^^ext  TO  HIS  . 

heart 


THE  WHOLE  town 
CAME  DOWN  TO  THE 
DEPOT  TO  SEE  HIM 
OFF.  IT  WAS  A 
THRILLING  SCENE. 


flLAS  N.  DOBBIN /2R. 

WHO  HAS  GREAT  CONFIDENCE  IN 
HIS  SON'S  ABILITY  To  "CAN 
_ THE  KAISER  ", _ 


|$HE  FAST  _ 

Milk  Train  »S 

SPEEDING  EAST¬ 
WARD.-  HE  WILL 
ARRIVE  AT  GREAT 

LAKES  TbMORRoW.*  WATCH  TOR 
_ HIM ! 


SI  DOBBINS:  His  Arrival  at  Great  Lakes. 


SI  DOBBINS :  He’ll  Try  to  Find  “Mr.  Farragut”  After  This.  7 


8  SI  DOBBINS :  It  Does  Get  Stormy  on  the  Ocean  Sometimes. 


SI  DOBBINS:  What  would  you  say  he  was  from  the  Neck  up? 


SAY,  YOU  BIG  HAYMAKER.'.  ^ — 
WAVE  YOU  BEEN  DREAMING? 
DIDN'T  YA  HEAR.  THE 
BUGLE  "?  You  f=AX]~ 

YilRM 


Akin  ya  beat  this  -  i  ve  been 
Here  in  detention  fer  three 
DAYS  AND  all  THE  UNIFORM. 

‘  GOT  TffeT 
PAIR  OF 
,  Pants 


STOP!  don’t  Y\  caul  me  no 
nan es!  don't  insult  me!, 

I  MAY  HAVE  ON  A  PAIR/ 

g  sailor  rants. 

But  i'm  a  civilian 
from  the  waist] 

- - — I  lima  ^7 


Pgrpr-c 


10 


SEAMAN  SI  DOBBINS:  He’s  Going  to  Play  Safe  on  the  Hammock  Stuff. 


MMM 


SEAMAN  SI:  Hammocks  and  Acrobatic  Skill  Are  Synonymous.  11 


12 


SEAMAN  SI:  Practice  Makes  Perfect. 


SEAMAN  SI:  He  Certainly  Is  Sociably  Inclined.  13 


SEAMAN  SI:  And  He  Thought  He  Was  On  the  Way  to  be  an  Admiral 


SEAMAN  SI:  He’ll  Lean  On  a  Red-Hot  Stove  Before  He  Tries  This  Again. 


15 


16  SEAMAN  SI:  Things  Are  Not  Always  What  They  Seem  to  be. 


SEAMAN  SI:  He’d  Better  Get  a  Squirrel  to  Help  Him  Out  of  This  Difficulty.  1/ 


18 


SEAMAN  SI:  What’ll  He  Think  When  He  Starts  on  the  Tit-Tat-Toe  Stuff? 


SEAMAN  SI:  He  Certainly  Had  a  Narrow  Escape  That  Time! 


19 


SEAMAN  SI:  “In  the  Spring  a  Young  Man’s  Fancy — 


22  SEAMAN  SI:  He’s  Awfully  Particular  About  Life’s  Little  Formalities. 


24  SEAMAN  SI:  Henceforth  He  Will  Have  No  Ambition  to  be  an  Angel. 


SEAMAN  SI:  Has  This  Ever  Happened  to  You?  25 


OH,  BOY-  SHE 
Loves  me!  SHG 
ME! 

SHE  Loves 

*Ef!  V/ 

<£v\ 


f o\vj  gone!  rvE  been  Here 

Three  weeks  and  aint 
Got  a  letter  from  MARTHA- 


A  WHATCHA  \ 
GOT  THERE 
x  Schultz  ? ' 


26  SEAMAN  SI:  He  Isn’t  Sure  He’s  Seaworthy. 


SEAMAN  SI:  Nothing’s  Too  Good  For  Him  in  Packey’s  Galley  Now.  27 


'L  JOINED  the  navy  just  tq 

,GET"  A  CHANCE  TO  MEET  YOU. 


MeY  o'br/eh 

FIX  THIS  GUV  UP 
Vv/ITH  A  STEAK. 
AND  PRIED 
potatoes 


28  SEAMAN  SI:  He  Wishes  This  Dream  Had  Lasted  a  Million  Years — So  Do  We. 


SEAMAN  SI:  His  Departure  From  Detention. 


29 


Ivjell  „  .JiCK,  today's  THE  DAY. 

\out  or-  detention  we  go-- 


30 


SEAMAN  SI:  He  Decides  a  Difficult  Problem  in  Navy  Regulations. 


/SAY, CHIEF;  I  JUST  ARRIVED  from 

detention  -  Should  i  unpack. 


[OR 


SHOULD  r  REPORT  TO 

“TYYOU  FIRST  AND 

y~y\thbn  go  and 

[UNPACK  MY, 

J  \s£a  bag ? 


1 1  GUESS  ■  I  MAD  BETTER 

And  unpack  my  Sea 
JFRST  And  then 
VReport  to  you 
i  afterwards 


zrf?cf~ 


CY^AI?c^~-’ 


SEAMAN  SI:  He  Saw  Several  Stars  Just  After  This.  31 


32  SEAMAN  SI:  He  Obtained  a  Somewhat  Interesting  Bit  of  Information. 


fSAT,  z l  ppy  l  WAufY 
To  ASX  YOU  ABOUT  l 
SO^ETMlNQ— 

WMAT  DO  YOU 

Have  to  gE  to 
QET  Buried  vjitm 
military  Honors ■) 


34SEAMAN  SI:  It’s  a  Good  Thing  This  Strip  Isn’t  Wide  Enough  for  One  More  Picture 


7say,zippx  what  do  you  think. 

Of;  old  Seaweed,  our  company 
Commander?  r  think  he's  a 

-•OTYPiece  oe 
fa  >4  V  cheese  ; 


ALL  THE  OLD  GEETErC 

say  isy'si,  swab  down! "or), 

i" Si, Go  ON  'WATCH!"  HE'S 
VJJS/NG  ME  AS  THE  Goaty 


SEAMAN  SI:  Ten’s  His  Point.  37 


38 


SEAMAN  SI:  His  Rise  In  the  Navy  Is  Going  to  be  Rapid. 


SEAMAN  SI:  Regrets  Arise  From  Various  Causes. 


39 


OLD  PRIENDS?  why  you  Poor 

Gooe  -  [  hate  to  see  him  leave 
Because  He 
owes-  me 

PivE  BUC<S'. 


40  SEAMAN  SI:  To  the  Rear — Hrr-rr-umph! 


SEAMAN  SI:  His  Horizon  Is  Too  Large  for  Close-Up  Views.  41 


SEAMAN  SI:  His  Lesson  In  Calisthenics  Proves  Disastrous.  43 


44 


SEAMAN  SI:  He’s  Taking  No  Chances. 


SEAMAN  SI:  You  Never  Can  Tell  by  Appearances. 


45 


46 


SEAMAN  SI:  OutChaGo! 


SEAMAN  SI:  Maybe  He  Didn’t  Hear  Taps. 


47 


48  SEAMAN  SI:  “Hey,  O’Brien,  Throw  This  Guy  Out!” 


SEAMAN  SI:  Don’t  Get  Discouraged!  49 


50 


SEAMAN  SI:  He  Wants  to  be  Hard, 


SEAMAN  SI:  Zippy  Flunks  His  First  Exam.  51 


52  SEAMAN  SI:  It  Keeps  Him  in  Smokes,  Anyway. 


SEAMAN  SI:  It’s  Awful  to  be  Famous. 


53 


SEAMAN  SI:  In  the  Meantime  He’ll  Carry  On  With  the  Swabbing  55 


56  SEAMAN  SI:  What  He  Needs  Is  a  Street  Flusher. 


SEAMAN  SI:  Perfectly  Simple,  Silas. 


SEAMAN  SI:  He  Learns  a  New  Wrinkle. 


59 


60  SEAMAN  SI:  He’d  Have  to  be  a  Good  Little  Waiter. 


SEAMAN  SI:  Look  What  Got  by  the  Main  Gate.  61 


62  SEAMAN  SI:  And  Eggs  Are  So  Costly. 


SEAMAN  SI :  “Oh,  Grave,  Where  Is  Thy  Victory?”  63 


64 


SEAMAN  SI:  He’s  Strong  For  the  Rest  Cure. 


SEAMAN  SI:  Conservation’s  All  Right,  But —  65 


66  SEAMAN  SI:  What  Chance  Has  a  Spring  Poet? 


SEAMAN  SI:  Maybe  It  Was  a  Mocking  Bird.  67 


68 


SEAMAN  SI:  He  Could  Drill  In  His  Sleep. 


SEAMAN  SI:  He  Should  Worry  About  a  Few  Cheap  Little  Bullets.  69 


70  SEAMAN  SI:  His  First  and  Last  Appearance  as  a  “Singing  Sailor.” 


CHThEY  NAMED 

SARA  SEAGOLu, 
'CAUSE  SHE  LIVED 
£>OWN  BY  THE 
SEA 


SEAMAN  SI:  He  Doesn’t  Want  to  Cause  His  Commander  Any  Bother.  71 


DEMAND  | 

A  .Lffe 

Furlough1/'  - v 


m  GqinQ  im  AND) 


/TTeuTENANT- 
/r'VE  ear  a  mam  , 
,'IM  MV  COMPANY 
NAMED  SEAMAN 
“Sr  V\|NO  IS  TOO 

'  xLAg-v_x° 

"l PeonrmW 
WAY  To 
)  HANDLE"  A 
Mam  like  that 
1  rsro  Pur  HiMc 
on  special,  t 

PETAIL,  FORA 
FEU J  WEEKS' 


THE  LIEUTENANT  IS 
]ABU5Y  MAw-  f  WONT 
BcTHe R  Him,  For 


SEAMAN  SI:  Why  Waste  Time? 


SEAMAN  SI:  How  Does  He  Get  That  Way?  73 


74  SEAMAN  SI:  As  Patrick  Henry  said,  “■ 


SEAMAN  SI:  He’s  Polite  With  the  Ladies.  75 


76  SEAMAN  SI:  Brave  Men’s  Courage  Often  Fail  ’Em. 


SEAMAN  SI:  Would  You  Say  He’s  Getting  “Hard  Boiled?”  77 


78 


SEAMAN  SI:  His  Secret  of  Success  as  a  Beau  Brummel. 


"DEAREST  St 

I  TMOUGWT  I  WOULD  WRITE  AMDI 
Tell-  vou  r  -STILL,  love  tou. 

DO  YOU  MiSS  WE  ? 
l  Am  avjpulct  lone¬ 
some  FOR  M Y  LITTLE 
SAILOR  BOY  IN  BLUE, 

DEAR,  ARC5  I  AM  So 
PROUD  TO  TMlNK  MY 

STRIPES 


YOU  Goofs,  Uev/  gotta  lot  of 

imerve  peekin’  at  my  letter  ' 
Mow  does  a  girl  pall  per  me! 

THeT  ACL-  Dot 
I  GTOT 
pepsomaliTY 

WEVi 


SEAMAN  SI:  Puzzle — Find  the  Battleship. 


79 


(oh  golly  sosh  : 

Just  The  place  . 

I'VE  Beem  udoionV/^v 
f=oR!  I  60TTA  jcTr?  ] 


80 


SEAMAN  SI:  The  Old  Boy  Has  Young  Ideas. 


f  EVERY  DECORATION!  DAY  f  LIKE  TO 


SEAMAN  SI:  Tragedy  Entitled,  “The  Unseen  Eye”  or  “Ignorance  is  Bliss.”  81 


82 


SEAMAN  SI:  To  the  Rear — ! 


SEAMAN  SI:  Remember,  There  Are  Ladies  Present.  83 


84  SEAMAN  SI:  Just  Wait  ’Till  He  Gets  His  Growth. 


SEAMAN  SI:  He  Can  Shake  a  Mean  Temper  When  He  Wants  To. 


85 


YOURE  ABOUrl 

AS  POPULAR 
AS  SATURDAYS^ 
MORNING 
INSPECTION 


YA  THINK  YER 
“THERE"  OUST 
CUZ  THEY  PRINT 
(YOUR  PICTURE 
I  IN  THE  BULLETIN 
IEVERY  DAY! 


PIPE  DOWN,  Y’GOOFS! 
YOURE  JUST  JEALOUS 
THEONLY  TIME  YOU  . 
G  ET  YOUR  NAME  IN  I 
the'bulletin"  IS  when 
YOU  OWE  THE  LAUNDI 


A  feller's  got  t’get 

SALTY  ON CE  IN  A  WHILE 
TO  HOLD  ANY  RESPECT 
[IN  THIS  NAVY-  I'LL 
GIVE  THESE  PRAIRIE  SAILORS 


SEAMAN  SI:  Texas  Is  Harder  Than  a  Six-Minute  Egg.  87 


SEAMAN  SI:  Who  Said  All  “Gall”  Is  Divided  Into  Three  Parts? 


MAR- 

Kin  va  Beat 

THAT?  SeAMAU 

Si  has  GONE  in 
TO  ASK 
l=DR  A  . 
Furlough 


SEAMAN  SI:  Good  Bye,  Si,  Take  Keer  o’  Yourself. 


89 


t^EAMAN  Si/  VJITH  VISIONS  Op 
TT  gj  SYLVAN  GLADES  AMD  DRVADS 

- - DlSPOOTiMG  IM  SHADV  GLENS  OP 

POResY  SURROUNDING 

Mpe  umbrageous  village' 

CP  PICKLE  CemYRe;  TA„ 
THe  9urg  THAT 

_  2&nT  This  BRAVE 

Lad  To  the  MAvy;  starts 
ON  THE  FURLOUGH  Op  pis  "DREAMS.,  ^ 

HE  lUill  Soon  Be  in  the  % 
arms  op  /Martha  mildew,  the" 

VILLAGE  VAMPIRE  WHO,  DESP/Te 

The  GoSsiRs;  has  Remained 


True  Tb  her 
LCA/eL 


SAILOR 


Get  The  Jealous 
look  on  Tippy's 


T/hg 

®H.S 

cow  wtrw  THe 


[mJarTHa 

MILDEW, 
PSWe  WITH 

Tte  ’Wicked  eyes 
Has  broken  a' 
CApr  WITH  THE 
Good  looking 
TRAVELING  MAW 
And  we  oniY 
MAKES  TH6 

burg  only 
Once  every. 


Silas  will  be  mum.Tomhorep.  paw! 

AND  he  ^g®Ay  WF% 

TP  ADORNIN' w  LAN'  SAKEs  !  AND  I  AinT  milked  im  Job^hen^ 
GOT  M0REN  THREE"  DOZEN  POO(JHnuTs  PRIED.  EARLY  HeR  SAILOR 

You  ©esY  kill  the  big  white  rooster  i"  morn.  g>oy  arrives. 


90 


SEAMAN  SI:  The  Next  Mayor  of  Pickle  Center. 


C.g^  | PICKLE  CENTPE  DEPOT 


SEAMAN  SI:  The  Kid  Has  an  Ingrown  Appetite. 


91 


92  SEAMAN  SI:  With  Mashed  Carrots  for  Dessert. 


WHAT  |f=  I  DO  GO  OUT 
O'  mV  WAV  A  BIT  TO  PLEASE 
SJ--  LAN'  ^AkTeS! 


SEAMAN  SI:  The  Resemblance  Was  Too  Strong.  93 


94 


SEAMAN  SI:  “Those  Who  Live  in  Glass  Houses — ” 


MARTHAS 

KID 

BROTHER 


7YES, MARTHA, US  SALXV 
6UVS  USE  LOTS  Ot  NAVY  SLANG. 
E’R  INSTANCE  WHEN  we  see 
tl  SUMPIN  WE  DOklT  LIKE,  WE 

VjHOLLeR  "nq  soap.'  " 


SEAMAN  SI:  He’s  Somewhat  of  a  Vamp  Himself. 


95 


(H  SILAS/ 
MV  Sailor 
B©y_ 
LlY-fL£  HERO 


/WELL,  MARTHA,  I  GOT  Tt>  GO  BACK  To 

GREAT  LAKES  in  A  COUPLE  OP  CAYS- 
VFROM  THERE  I  DON'T  KNOVJ  WHERE  I’LL  BE 
nSHIPPED-PROB’LY  TO  THE 
VTHlCK  OP  BATrt-E- WHERE 
VTHE  GUNS  OP  THE  0-BOAT 

\vjill  roar  it's  taunt 
VAT  DEMOCRACY— 


T  may  set  pilled  in  the  fray.-  But 

what  Do  I  CARE !  I'M  A  M4N  AND 
■'m  in  this  right  TOTHefinishmI 


THERE— THERE  - 
LITTLE  SWEET HEA^X 
DON'T  r 
C.RY1  ' 


Thus  Seaman  Si  departs  from  view, 

And  thanks  you  for  your  gracious  smile; 
’Tis  “au  revoir”  but  not  “adieu” 

For  that’s  not  rookie  friendship’s  style; 


Si  has  the  charm,  the  gift,  the  punch, 
And  personality  has  Si, 

So  mind  this  friendly  little  hunch: 
He’ll  greet  you  in  the  after  bye. 


..  ........  1 


Specc»JL 

9^-6 

Zi>2-T~ 


_ 


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